Unlocking Device for a Control Device

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an unlocking device for a control device ( 10 ), comprising an actuating magnet ( 12 ) which, guided in a coil base ( 14 ) and/or in housing elements of the actuating magnet, has an actuating element ( 16 ) that can be displaced along a first axis ( 20 ) and that releases, in an actuation position, a swivel path ( 22 ) for a control unit ( 24 ) which is arranged so as to be swiveled about a second axis ( 26 ). Said control unit ( 24 ) has a locking element ( 30 ) which, when unlocked by means of the actuating element ( 16 ) via the control element ( 24 ), releases the trajectory ( 32 ) for the control device ( 10 ) to be actuated. Said unlocking device is characterized by comprising a swiveling lever ( 34 ) which is guided in a housing part ( 28 ) so as to be swiveled. The second axis ( 26 ) is parallel to the first axis ( 20 ). The swiveling lever ( 34 ), at its free end and when the actuating magnet ( 12 ) is not actuated, contacts the actuating element ( 16 ). The locking element ( 30 ) is disposed on the other end of the swiveling lever ( 34 ) and maintains the control device ( 10 ) in the locked position.

The invention relates to an unlocking device for a control device, with an actuating magnet which, guided in a coil base and/or in housing parts of the actuating magnet, has an actuating element which can be moved along a first axis and which in the actuating position clears a swiveling path for a control unit which is mounted to be able to pivot around a second axis, the control unit having a locking part which, unlocked by means of the actuating element by way of the control unit, clears the path of movement for the control device which is to be actuated.

Devices of this type are known, compare DE 102 15 054 A1. Unlocking devices such as these can be used for a plurality of applications. Especially wherever it is important to execute an actuating process for a technical component in a dedicated and reliable manner, unlocking devices with actuating magnets are preferred, since such an actuating magnet even in rough, everyday operation, for example, when exposed to vibrations or impacts, is reliable in use, as experience shows. With this unlocking device, in particular in the motor vehicle domain, safety-relevant parts can be unlocked and caused to operate, whether in the form of a roll bar which is to be deployed or in the form of a headrest which moves forward in case of a crash, in order to reduce the free impact path between the back of the head of the seat occupant and the head impact surface on the headrest, etc.

The object of the invention is to make available an unlocking device of the type under consideration, which is characterized by a compact construction that is reliable even under rough operating conditions.

According to the invention this object is achieved by an unlocking device which has the features of claim 1 in its entirety.

Due to the special axial arrangement in the unlocking device according to the invention, the actuating magnet with the actuating element and transversely swiveling pivoting lever can be housed in a very small installation space so that this device can be housed in a space-saving manner within motor vehicles. Due to the space-saving structure the unlocking device can also be used directly at the location of a actuating process where in the past in the prior art optionally first Bowden cables which are complex to handle accomplished the actuating process over longer paths.

In the unlocking device according to the invention the pivoting lever of the control unit is guided to be able to swivel around the second axis in a housing part, the second axis running parallel to the first axis, the pivoting lever on its one free end in the unactuated state of the actuating magnet being in contact with the actuating element, and the locking part being kept in the locking position on the other end of the pivoting lever. As a result of the pivoting lever used, the unlocking process can be actuated without hindrance or time delay after actuating the actuating magnet by energizing it.

Preferably, it is furthermore provided that in the actuated state of the actuating magnet the control device by means of an energy storage device induces unlocking for the pivoting lever which in this respect is swiveled around the second axis into the unlocking position. As a result of the control device which is pretensioned by means of the energy storage device, the unlocking process can be promptly actuated without delay and without jerking; this in turn satisfies increased safety requirements on real-time actuation of the safety means.

The arrangement can also be made such that the locking part is guided in the housing part and, held by means of a blocking part in the unlocked position, unintentional re-locking of the control device is prevented. This ensures that an already activated safety means is not unintentionally returned to the initial position from where it can no longer reliably perform its function if necessary upon re-actuation, for example, because the safety means itself or its parts would have to be replaced by new parts before being actuated again. If preferably a spring arrangement is used for the control device, likewise for the blocking part, the respective actuating or blocking state can be established fundamentally with only one type of technical actuation in the form of springs or spring elements; this takes into account increased requirements for practicability.

Other advantageous embodiments of the unlocking device according to the invention are the subject matter of the other dependent claims.

The unlocking device according to the invention for a control device will be detailed below according to one embodiment as shown in the drawings. The figures are schematic and not to scale.

FIG. 1 shows in a perspective arrangement a front view of the essential parts of the device according to the invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 show the device as shown in FIG. 1 viewed from the side, once in the locked, once in the unlocked state;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective top view of the actuating magnet with a ratchet;

FIG. 5 shows the partially cutaway housing of the device with the blocking element in use.

The unlocking device for the control device 10 according to the perspective view as illustrated in FIG. 1 shows its most important components, such as the actuating magnet 12. The actuating magnet 12 has a coil base 14 with a coil winding which is not detailed and in which a cylinder-like or rod-like actuating element 16 is guided to be able to move lengthwise. The actuating magnet 12 which is made as a conventional electromagnet is designed such that when power is supplied to the coil base 14 via a connector 18, the actuating element 16 is pulled to the inside, that is, in the direction of looking at FIG. 2, in the direction of the rear plane of the figure. A reset spring which is not detailed can reset the actuating element 16 when the coil base 14 is not energized, such that the actuating element with a definable projection protrudes over the front of the coil base 14 including the front of the actuating magnet 12. In this respect the actuating element 16 is therefore arranged to be able to move along a first axis 20.

In the actuating position of the unlocking device shown in FIG. 3, the actuating element 16 is pulled to the rear by the actuating magnet 12 and thus clears a swiveling path 22 which runs transversely to the first axis 20 and which is shown in FIG. 3 with an arrow, and along this swiveling path 22 pivots the control unit 24 clockwise around a second axis 26 which runs parallel to the first axis 20. This second axis 26 is, for example, made as a pivoting axle or pivoting journal, and with its free ends is guided on the end side in the housing part 28, preferably formed from a suitable plastic material. As is further shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the control unit 24 has a locking part 30 which, unlocked by means of the actuating element 16 by way of the control unit 24, clears the path 32 of movement, shown in FIG. 3 with an arrow, for the control device 10 which is to be actuated. To the extent FIGS. 1 and 2 relate to the locked position for the control device 10, it is apparent that the locking part 30 at least partially encompasses the control device 10 and in this way holds it in the locked position.

The control unit 24 has a pivoting lever 34, as is detailed in FIG. 4. This pivoting lever 34, as already stated, is guided to be able to pivot around the second axis 26 in the housing part 28 which for the sake of simplicity has been omitted in FIG. 4. The pivoting lever 34 on its one free end in the unactuated state of the actuating magnet 12 is in contact with the actuating element 16, as shown in FIG. 4 the actuating element 16 being moved into the coil base 14 of the actuating magnet 12 and accordingly clearing the swiveling path 22 for the pivoting lever 34. In this respect the retracted position of the actuating element 16 it forms with its front essentially a plane front surface with the front of the coil base 14 facing the viewer of FIG. 4.

As shown in FIG. 4, the pivoting lever 34 there is shown still in its unactuated position so that on the other end of the pivoting lever 34 the control device 10 is held in the locking position. The locking part 30 of the control unit 24 is made in the manner of a claw and jaw opening 36 and thus this locking part 30 can be arranged centrally, that is, force-equalized in the middle of the device (cf. FIG. 1); in this respect the pivoting lever 34 has an axial offset location 38 in order to be able to ensure this center arrangement. For the unlocking process therefore the claw and jaw opening 36 pivots clockwise around the pivoting axis 26 out of the locked position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 into the unlocked position as shown in FIG. 3.

In certain application tasks it would also be conceivable, for example, to attach a rotary spring or the like to the second axis 26 itself in order to move the pivoting lever along the swiveling path 22 as soon as the actuating element 16 has been pulled into the coil base 14. In this case, however, in the actuated state of the actuating magnet 12 the control device 10 by means of an energy storage device will cause unlocking for the pivoting lever 34 from the outside which then pivots around the second axis 26 into the unlocked position. For this reason the control device 10 provides for a spring clamp, preferably in the form of a double spring clamp 40, with an energy storage device in the form of spring energy in the unlocked state which enables pivoting away along the path 32 of movement from the control unit 24 for the control device 10, around a third axis 42 which in turn runs parallel to the first and the second axis 20, 26. Based on the inherent dynamics of the control device 10 in the form of the double spring clamp 40, it is therefore sufficient to trigger the actuating magnet 12 in order to be able to undertake unlocking, controlled from the outside.

The actuating magnet 12 is made in the shape of a cup and in this respect has an annular coil base 14 with winding ends which are connected accordingly to the connector 18. As the actuating element 16 the coil base 14 encompasses a flat-cylindrical actuating rod which comparably has a cup shape to the annular coil base 14 and is guided to be able to move lengthwise therein. As FIG. 4 furthermore shows, the pivoting lever 34 on its one free end facing the actuating element 16 in the manner of a catch is provided tapering with a curvature which at least partially follows the curvature of the outer periphery of the actuating element 16 (cf. also FIG. 2). The indicated double spring clamp 40 with its clamp part 44 in the locking position engages the locking part 30 of the control unit 24, the two round springs 46 which relate to the double arrangement encompassing the third axis 42 in the middle.

If, as shown in FIG. 3, the control device 10 is pivoted counterclockwise back around the axis 42, in this respect the clamp part 44 catches again in the claw and jaw opening 36, and the pivoting lever 24 pivots counterclockwise into its initial position as shown in FIG. 4. If at this point the actuating magnet 12 is no longer energized, the actuating element 16 withdraws, for example, under the action of a reset spring which is not detailed and then with its outside periphery again directly adjoins the inside of the pivoting lever 34. In this respect therefore by way of the corresponding reset process the unlocking device could again be “armed”. If the intention is to prevent this, for example, because parts of a safety means (not shown) or the safety means itself must be replaced, the clamp part 44 must be prevented from again unintentionally engaging the locking part 30 and its claw and jaw opening 36 in the corresponding manner. To prevent this, the locking part 30 would have to be held in its unlocking position which is shown in FIG. 3. The blocking part 48 which is shown in FIG. 5 and which prevents unintentional re-locking of the control device 10 is used for this purpose.

The blocking part 48 preferably consists likewise of a spring clamp 50 which with its free spring ends 52 guided at least partially along the housing part 28 can be moved into the position which releases the control device 10. In order to better illustrate these conditions, in FIG. 5 relative to the front view, part of the wall of the housing part 28 is omitted in order to illustrate the action of the spring clamp 50 on the top of the locking part 30. In the position shown in FIG. 5, the spring clamp 50 is shown as the blocking part in its blocking position. When the unlocking process is triggered, the locking part 30 snaps upward and moves into the clamping gap between the spring ends 52. The spring ends 52 between themselves then clamp a portion of the locking part 30 such that it is held in the unlocking position as shown in FIG. 3. If at this point, viewed in the direction of looking at FIG. 5, the spring clamp 50 is pushed down by hand, the free spring ends 52 slide along the oblique guides 54 of the housing part 28 so that the spring ends 52 are spread apart from one another and then clear the swiveling path for the locking part 30, so that it can return again to the locking position. In a repeated unlocking process the locking part 30 snaps upward again and in this way entrains the spring clamp 50 with re-formation of the clamping gap for the locking part 30, so that it is then blocked again in its unlocked position and cannot be pivoted back unintentionally into the locking position.

The unlocking means according to the invention can be used for a plurality of applications, and instead of a control device 10 in the form of a double-spring clamp arrangement 40 there can also be a single spring (not shown). Other technical components such as, for example, parts of a roll bar system, can be held by the claw and jaw opening 36 of the locking part 30 so that in this respect the range of application can be expanded at will. Furthermore, a construction as shown in FIG. 1 can also be used as an unlocking device even without the housing parts, or outside housing parts (not shown) form the receiver for the device at the installation site.

The solution according to the invention is characterized in particular by the fact that operation is controlled by way of a single lever in the form of the pivoting lever 34. 

1. An unlocking device for a control device (10), with an actuating magnet (12) which, guided in a coil base (14) and/or in housing parts of the actuating magnet (12), has an actuating element (16) which can be moved along a first axis (20) and which in the actuating position clears a swiveling path (22) for a control unit (24) which is arranged to be able to pivot around a second axis (26), the control unit (24) having a locking part (30) which, unlocked by means of the actuating element (16) via the control unit (24), clears the path (32) of movement for the control device (10) which is to be actuated, characterized in that the control unit (24) has a pivoting lever (34) which is guided to be able to pivot around the second axis (26) in a housing part (28), that the second axis (26) runs parallel to the first axis (20), that the pivoting lever (34) on its one free end in the unactuated state of the actuating magnet (12) is in contact with the actuating element (16) and that there is a locking part (30) by which the control device (10) is held in the locking position on the other end of the pivoting lever (34).
 2. The unlocking device according to claim 1, wherein in the actuated state of the actuating magnet (12), by means of an energy storage device the control device (10) induces unlocking for the pivoting lever (34) which in this respect is pivoted around the second axis (26) into the unlocking position.
 3. The unlocking device according to claim 1, wherein the actuating magnet (12) made in the shape of a cup has an annular coil base (14) which as the actuating element (16) encompasses a flat-cylindrical actuating rod, also in polygonal shape.
 4. The unlocking device according to claim 1, wherein the control device (10) is formed from a spring clamp, preferably in the form of a double spring clamp (40), with an energy storage device in the form of spring energy in the unlocked state which enables pivoting back along the path (32) of movement of the control unit (24) for the spring, around a third axis (42) which runs parallel to the first and the second axis (20, 26).
 5. The unlocking device according to claim 1, wherein the locking part (30) of the control unit (24) is made in the manner of a claw and jaw opening (36).
 6. The unlocking device according to claim 1, wherein the pivoting lever (34) on its one free end facing the actuating element (16) in the manner of a catch is provided tapering with a curvature which at least partially follows the curvature of the outer periphery of the actuating element (16).
 7. The unlocking device according to claim 1, wherein the double spring clamp (40) with its clamp part (44) in the locking position engages the locking part (30) of the control unit (24) and wherein the two round springs (46) which relate to the double arrangement border the third axis (42). 